Car construction



June 27, 1933. s. e. GlLPlN 1,915,359

CAR CONSTRUCTION I Original Fil ed Oct. 20, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 15, [L 1L IF 1L L Invenzor:

Attorney June 27, 1933. G 5 1,915,359

CAR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Oct. 20, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fnvezzior:

Patented June 27, 1933 UNETED STAT-ES PATENT OFFICE GARTH G. GILPIN, OF RIVERSIDE ILLIIJOIS, ASSIGNOB TO UNIOH FIETAL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE can oonsrauorron Original application filed October 20,

My invention, relates to the construction of railway freight cars, and more particularly tothe walls, floor or doors thereof whether such parts are rigidly secured to the car prop o or hinged thereto, and comprises ntegral metal members forming a frame in combination with preferably cast metal. panels or units which form the load retaming portions of the walls, floors or doors of the car and which are rigidly and removably secured to the frame.

An object of, the invention consists of forming a preferably cast metal panel with oppositely disposed walls on two sides thereof connected by a web reinforced by one or more ribs extending between such walls which are themselves reinforced .by lateral extensions at their outermost portions. The panel 1S further reinforced by a. flange at its other two sides which. are integrally connected to the walls at the corners of the panel.

Another object is to form such cast metal panels or units so that they can be readily detached and removed from the frame and the adjacent panel.

By nature of their requirements ra1lway freight train-cars are out of doors substantially all of the time, therefore, are sub ected to corrosive action of the elements, and while paint and other non-corrosive coatings have been applied to the car parts, such protection only has been found to be expensive in time and money, but the lading removes the coat'ag. This is particularly true of the inside of open type cars which are turned upside down in, unloading machines causing the load to slide across the inside surface of the car body and also when the discharging load slides across the surface of a drop door and also when the long lading rests upon the lowered drop end gate of a gondola car the friction therebetween caused by the movement of the car also removes the protective coating from the end gate. Furthermore, certain ladings, such as sulphur, wet coal, which forms sulphuric acid, and saline water (in refrigerator and stock cars) cause rolled steel or iron to corrode. On account of its increased strength rolled steel in the form of plates and bars has supplanted Wood in car 1928, Serial No. 313,906. Divided and this application filed February ,1, 19-30. Serial No. 425.258.

construction but the corrosive action of the elementseats away the rolled steel or iron material reducing their strength and their furthermore, to produce a construction wherein the metal can be disposed and positioned to accommodate the stresses set up by the car in service. necessitates a minimum amount of material for strength requirements.

Another object is to eliminate-the cost and delay in fabricating the numerous component parts of the present structural steel car parts. Another object of formingthe car part of cast metal is to eliminate the possibility of loose connections which would permit relative motion between the component parts of the car part, as it is common knowledge that the vibration of the car in motion, due to rough and uneven track, and steel wheels rolling on steel rails, together with longer trains and high speeds in present day practice, cause riveted joints and built up sections to work loose and the railroads look with favor upon any device which reduces the number of parts .and joints as these are the weak parts of the car and the more such weak parts are eliminated, the longer the life of the car.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 show a typical panel formed according to my invention.

Figure 5 shows a detail view of a corner of the panel of Figs. 1 to 4: inclusive.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 show a modified panel used as a door for a general service car.

Figs. 1, 2, 3 andl show a'form of a cast metalpanel comprising .a web portion 150 having oppositely disposed integral walls 151 on two sides thereof and oppositely disposed integralfianges 152 on the other two Such a cast construction sides thereof which are connected integrally at the corners of the panel to form in effect a continuous flange. The web portion of the panel is reinforced by laterally extending integral ribs 153 which extend continuously between and connect the oppositely disposed walls 151. These webs preferably slope downwardly and inwardly so that the. lading will not remain thereon when the car is'being unloaded. The ribs 153, the flange 152 and also preferably the walls 151 are provided with lateral extensions 154155 which are preferably made of thicker material than the ribs or the flanges so as to obtain more metal away from the neutral axis of the section, thus providing a stronger beam for the material used. The width of thewalls 151 and the width of the'flanges 152 being substantially equal to the horizontal depth ,of the ribs.

Figs. 6, 7 and Sinclusive illustrate my'cast metal panel adapted for use as a door ina so-called generalservice dropbottom gondola car wherein the major portion of the floor'consistsof drop doors. The dooropenings are surrounded by center construction 105; side wall 106 and cross diaphragm 107. In normal, or closed position, the door completely closes the opening, and in fact, is a trifle larger on all sides than the opening so The walls are provided with reflanges as toprovide a lap joint between the door and the car frame members. The doors are hinged to the center construction and are supported adjacent the side wall by raising or locking mechanism. Any convenient stop (108) maybe used to limit the downward movement of'the door. The reinforcements 109 may be deeper adjacent the middle of the door, as illustrated.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of'the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

This is a division of my co-pending appliv cation Serial No. 313,906, filed October 20, 1928.

Iclaim: Y r 1. A cast metal panel forming a part of-the load retaining means of a railway car comprising oppositely disposed walls on two sides thereof and oppositely disposed flanges on. the other two sides thereof, said walls and said flanges integrally connected at the corners of the panel, said walls and said flanges connected byan integral web, said Web. reinforced by ribs connect ng thewalls,

the outermost portions of. the ribs provided I with lateralextensions of thicker material than the ribsp 2. A' cast metal panel forming a partof the load retaining means of a railway car comprising oppositely disposed walls on two sides thereof and oppositely disposed flanges on the other two sides thereof, said walls and said flanges integrally connected at the corners of the panel, said walls and said flanges connected by an integral web, said web reinforced by ribs connecting the walls, the outermost portions of the ribs and the flanges'provided with lateral extensions of thicker material than the ribs or the flanges.

3. A cast metal panel forming a part of the load retaining means of a railway car comprising "oppositely disposed walls on two sides thereof and oppositely disposed flanges on the other two sides thereof, said walls and said flanges integrally connected at the corners of the panel, said" walls and said flanges connected by an integral web, said web reinforced by inclined ribs connecting the walls.

4. A cast metal panel forminga part of he load retaining means of a railway car comprising oppositely disposed walls on two sides thereof and o J )ositel dis 'JOSGLl flanges on the other two sides thereof, said walls and said flanges integrally connected at the corners of the panel, said walls and said flangesconnected by an integral web, said web reinforced by ribs connecting the walls,

the'outermost portions of the ribs provided with lateral extensions which decrease in I width toward their opposite ends.

withlateral extensions and brackets connecting said flanges to said web.

GARTH G. GILPIN. 

